When: Sunday, Aug. 23Gates open at 2 p.m. for the Car Smash Against Dia...

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What: ARTS ROCK! Music and Circus Extravaganza

Where: Goodale Park multi-purpose field

When: Sunday, Aug. 23

Gates open at 2 p.m. for the Car Smash Against Diabetes

Entertainment, including Crocodile Music and the Diane Kelley Dancers, begins at 2:45 p.m.

Comedy juggling show is at 6 p.m.

A Ton of Blues plays at 6:30 p.m.

Fire Dancing is at 8 p.m.

8:30 Delta Generators is at 8:30 p.m,.

Admission before 4 p.m. is free.

Admission after 4 p.m. is $5 for students between 13 and 18 years old, $10 for adults. Under 12 are admitted for free.

WEST BOYLSTON — While organizers have high hopes that this year's ARTS ROCK! Music and Circus Extravaganza will be a success, one decision is sure to make the event a "smash." Literally.

Long known as a music-centric event, this year's ARTS ROCK! opens at 2 p.m. with a more recent West Boylston tradition, the Car Smash Against Diabetes.

Organized by West Boylston sophomore Zak Phillips and his family, the event raises money for the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Central Mass. Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes, which takes place at the UMass Medical School Lake Ave. campus in Worcester on Saturday, Sept. 27.

Zak's personal crusade to find a cure is coupled with a desire to build awareness about the disease, which the ADA notes can lead to other serious illnesses, like heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, limb amputations and nervous system disorders.

For the Phillips family, this is the third car smash they have organized since Zak was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes shortly after a family vacation in April 2011. The first event was held at the Public Safety Building.

Zak, a one-time ambassador for the ADA, continues to speak to groups about diabetes as a member of the ADA Youth Leader Program, his father, Allen, said.

Based on a peer leadership program, ADA's program is for youths ages 14 to 19 who are affected by diabetes. Its goal is to help those teens become "involved, informed, and confident leaders in their own communities and throughout New England," Allen Phillips wrote in an email.

"It also provides youths with tools and skills to enhance their public speaking abilities, learn innovative and tactful ways to influence lawmakers on issues important to the diabetes community and provide opportunities for youth to practice these skills," he wrote.

The car smash is a major fundraising event toward Zak's Step Out Walk team's obligations.

Last year, the family sought to capitalize on the three-sport athlete's connections and moved the event to the middle/high school.

This year, Mark Baldi, president of the West Boylston Arts Foundation and chief organizer of ARTS ROCK!, has his own ideas for the event.

"Mark Baldi ... contacted Mychelle (Zak's mother) and me and asked if we would be interested in joining the event," Allen Phillips wrote. "This is something we have thought about and discussed in the past to try to bring in more people to the smash."

For a few years, ARTS ROCK! was a summer-long concert series. That format has metamorphosed into what Baldi called a one-day, family friendly festival that will combine some of the same popular music acts that previously played at Goodale Park with other forms of entertainment. That includes dancers from the Diane Kelley Dance School, barbecue from The Mill 185 Restaurant and the fire dancing, juggling and acrobatics of the Boston Circus Guild.

The car smash, Baldi said, was a natural fit.

"It's all part of making this a family-orientated event," Baldi said. "we really want this to be a community-wide event."

Mychelle Phillips agreed.

"The past two years, we have been thrilled with the turnout at the car smash, but we were looking for a way to 'kick it up a notch,'" she wrote in an email. "The (Arts Foundation) is the absolute perfect fit. We are so looking forward to the event this year."

It is hoped that the event is just as much a benefit for the car smash, Allen Phillips said. The car smash will move to Goodale Park, on the multi-purpose field. Aside from that increased visibility, there will also be ARTS ROCK! attendees who may have never attended a car smash.

In each of the two previous years, the car smash has garnered $800 for the cause. This year, Zak hopes for $1,000.

"I wanted to try to up my total from last year," Zak said.

Aside from a new location, this year's event will be familiar to previous participants.

It again features two cars, donated by Cranston's. The choice of three different-sized sledgehammers or a bat returns. But, if participants have a favorite car-smashing tool at home, they are always welcome to bring their own hammer, Allen Phillips said.

Also back are the cans of spray paint in case you want to paint a message before you begin smashing.

Previous events, having taken place during football season, have seen a plethora of messages related to the Lions opponent of the week. While this year's event takes place before the official start of the season, the team will still be involved, Allen Phillips noted.

"There is a scrimmage that day and the team will arrive back at the school about the time this event is kicking off," he wrote.

The M.C. job will be split, once again, by Lions Assistant Coach Jeff Taylor and Worcester radio-personalty Peterman. Peterman, whose little mentioned first name is David, is now the general manager of the Worcester Bravehearts baseball team.

With its entertainment value, the car smash fits into a schedule that includes fire dancing, juggling, dancing and a "plethora of incredible (musical) talent," Mychelle Phillips said.

As an added bonus this year, blood screenings will be offered.

"If you have or know of someone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes please come down and support this worthwhile event," she said.

"This is a great way to get out any frustrations or just to have some fun," Allen Phillips said.

ARTS ROCK! returns to Goodale Park on Saturday, Aug. 23. Gates open at 2 p.m. for the Car Smash.

Other entertainment includes: Crocodile River Music, the Diane Kelley Dancers, Erin Ollis, Little Sugar and the Big Spoonful, the Boston Circus Guild Comedy Juggling Show, A Ton of Blues, the Boston Circus Fire Dancers, and Delta Generators. Barbecue will be provided by The Mill 185 Restaurant.

Admission before 4 p.m. is free. Admission after 4 p.m. is free for 12 and under, $5 for students 13 to 18 years old. and $10 for adults. Buy four admissions, get one free. For a full schedule, visit www.wbaf.org.

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